http://www.dhool.com/sotd2/762.html
- Saravanan writes:
‘mounam thaan pEsiyadhO’ from ethirkaalam.
Sung by L.R. Eswari
Lyrics by Kannadasan
Music by M.S.Viswanthan
* * * *
Many of the epoch making movies in the history of Tamil cinema have owed their success in no small measure to the talented writers whose brilliant lines brought pulsating life to the on screen characters. Ilangovan, C.N.Annadurai and M.Karunanidhi were the pioneers who brought into focus the might of scintillating wordplay and whose dialogues thrust greatness even upon movies that were otherwise mundane. Kothamangalam Subbu and ‘Jaavar’ Seetharaman were the in-house scriptwriters for the big companies. P.Neelakantan, APN, Sridhar, KSG, K. Balachandar and Mahendran entered cinema as writers. Over the years, talented writers like ‘Sakthi’ Krishnaswami, Aaroordas, Balamurugan, A.L. Narayanan, ‘vietnam veedu’ Sundaram, Malliyam Rajagopal, V.C.Guganathan, Gopu, Thooyavan and A.S.Prakasam have time and again penned immortal dialogues that we remember and repeat to this day.
And one name that comes to mind whenever we think of Bhimsingh and his celebrated ‘paa’ series is M.S.Solaimalai. Solaimalai wrote the script for neethipathi (1955/ Vijaya Films) that was directed by veteran A.S.A. Sami. But it was with the first of the ‘paa’ series, pathibhakthi (1958/ Buddha Pictures) that he shot to prominence. Solaimalai was among the partners who produced the movie, along with Bhimsingh, G.N.Velumani and MSV. He spun a heartwarming saga of a war hero returning home and resolving conflicts in his village that seem more threatening than the war! The dialogues too came in for high praise. The next one in the series was the legendary baagappirivinai (1959/ Saravana Films). This time Solaimalai told the story of a rustic simpleton who was maimed by an electric shock as a child, and his family being torn apart by the machinations of an unscrupulous outsider. The movie was such a massive success that it was remade in many other languages. Other movies that Solaimalai penned dialogues for were paavamanippu (1961/ Buddha Pictures), kaathirundha kaNgaL (1962/ Vasumathi Pictures), paatha kaaNikkai (1962/ Saravana Films), kaattu rOja (1963/ The Modern Theatres), muradan muthu (1964/ Padmini Pictures), aanandi (1965/ ALS Productions), shanthi (1965/ ALS Productions) and pazhani (1965/ Bharathamatha Pictures)
Solaimalai must have seen many of his counterparts making it big as directors and was thus tempted to try his hand at calling the shots. He formed a production company called Thanigavel Pictures in 1970 and set about making a movie. Titling his dream venture ethirkaalam, Solaimalai told an engrossing story of two friends who look at life from two contrasting angles. Both are angered by the ills plaguing the society; but where one is steadfast in fighting the evils while never swerving from truth, the other believes the ends justify the means and takes to a life of deceit in order to make bigger criminals get their comeuppance. Solaimalai filled the frames with interesting twists and challenges. The series of arguments between the two friends, each trying to prove the futility of the other’s efforts was the highpoint; Solaimalai’s famed dialogues sparkled here with wit and wisdom.
Gemini Ganesh (The titles hail him as nadippuselvam, padmasri Gemini Ganesh) and Jaishankar were the two lead protagonists. Gemini Ganesh played the principled hero, his characteristic subtle finesse standing him in good stead. But playing the unrepentant fraudster, it was the dashing Jai who carried home the honors with his stylish and suave show. Solaimalai cast Padmini in the unlikely role of a street-smart swaggering woman who allows Gemini a place first in her house and then in her heart. Vanisri played the poor little rich girl who falls for the debonair Jai. Nagesh and Ragini were the others in the cast.
But despite a well-told tale with well-etched characters, and notwithstanding some fine performances and lilting songs, ethirkaalam didn’t usher in a promising future for Solaimalai. In later years, he wrote and directed thanga gOpuram (1971/ Mohan Productions) and wrote the dialogues for thaai (1974/ Babu Movies). Solaimalai had earlier been honoured with the kalaimaamaNi Award in 1969.
* * * *
MSV and Kannadasan came up as usual with a noteworthy album. TMS, PS and LRE were the singers. Like in poova thalaiya, MSV retained TMS for both Gemini and Jai. And he went one step further this time and made PS and LRE sing alternatively for both Padmini and Vanisri.
The folksy anthem of cheerful optimism, ‘vaazhnthu paarppOm raa naina vaazhkkai idhu sulabam sulabam’ has TMS singing for both Gemini and Jai, and LRE singing what is perhaps her only song for Padmini. ‘vaazhvellaam vaazhvalla, thaazhvellaam thaazhvalla’, the strident thogayara that leads to the reflective ‘kallukku needhi solla mudiyaathu’ showcases TMS at his stirring best. TMS and PS have two duets- the slow, salubrious ‘poNNu yEn thaanE sirikkidhu, kaNNu yEn neeril kuLikkudhu’ for Jai and Vanisri, and the boisterously infectious ‘maja maja maja maja maappiLLai’ for Gemini and Padmini.
* * * *
And ‘mounam thaan pEsiyadhO’ has LRE crooning for Vanisri, who is dazed with the discovery that she has fallen in love, and bemused over his discovery of her feelings….
I know by books but cannot teach my heart:
and yet I think my love must needs be love,
since he can read me through -- oh happy strange,
my thoughts that were my secrets all for me
have grown instantly his open easy book!
- Augusta Davies Webster (The Happiest Girl in the World)
She wonders how did he sense her love for him…. was it her very silence that betrayed her bashful secret, or were it her wonderstruck eyes that gave her away… Kannadasan surreptitiously inserts into the lyrics lines that hint at Jai’s thieving ways- ‘katti vaiththa kattidaththil thittamittu nuzhaindhavan kaNNanO kaLvan avanthaanO!’.
MSV composes a tune that heralds with joie de vivre the advent of love in a young woman’s heart and sends for LRE to do the rest…
And that gifted artiste responds with archetypal alacrity… how much ecstasy is encapsulated in the lilting humming, and how much vivaciousness is sprinkled generously over the lines… there is no stopping the inimitable Lourdumary Rajeswari once MSV gives her the go-ahead…
